I miss Michael Jackson. Here’s why:
- On the 6-hour drive to NYC this weekend for our band’s Brooklyn debut, I was able to punctuate every song on the radio with a toneless “dah!” without a self-conscious moment.
- At the Brazilian dance club underneath the Williamsburg Bridge, where I found myself somewhere along the lines of the hazy 2 a.m. hour, “Billie Jean” came on and didn’t sound out of place.
- I later heard “Billie Jean” and discovered, for the first time, the extra bass accents on 1(and-2)AND that really, frankly, make the song.
- I love the maturity of the 10/11-year-old Michael on “ABC” and “I Want You Back.”
- I never could stop doing the “Thriller” claw dance. (and if you want to do the whole thing – and I do – look here
- He was incredibly publicly human, no matter how inhuman he may have looked at any particular point. He made it 50 years despite the physical/emotional/psychological trauma of his childhood – I give that a thumbs up.
Look for a much longer post next week about something or other.
I’m with you, D.
I’ve missed him for a long time.
I suspect that after a couple more weeks of tributes and specials you shall miss him less. He died too late to get his wish. No eternal peter pan is he. More like perverted old freeek =)
I’m with Mr. LHW. I’m over Jackson. He died a long time ago. His dad sure seems like a dick though.
Y’all make me sad with your no-sympathy selves. I hope you mourned him when you *thought* he was dead. I know that’s not likely.
Still with you, D. Are there serious unanswered questions the public is left with? Without doubt. Personally, the story is still tragic, and still human. And his music is still, for the most part, great fun to listen to. Anyone with that much cultural weight is fascinating to me, and will be sorely missed.